News
Leaders of the Future
Shawnigan students travelled near and far in April for a pair of leadership conferences run by independent school organizations the School is a part of. Inclusive Education teacher Mrs. Jennifer Hutchins took five members of the Grade 8 Round Table to St. Michaels University School in Victoria for a student leadership conference put on by the Independent Schools Association of BC on April 12, and Social Sciences teacher Ms. Andrea Robertson took four Grade 11s to Bishop’s College School in Sherbrooke, Quebec for the Canadian Accredited Independent Schools conference on April 18-20.
The event the Grade 8s attended was titled “The Keep it Light 2024 Conference.” “Students were taught about the value of play, being focused on the present, and being a good listener through the power of improv, presented by Dave Morris in his keynote address,” Mrs. Hutchins explained.
The Shawnigan students got to know students from other ISABC schools, and were able to choose from a variety of workshops, including making poke bowls, yoga, creative writing, vision boards, dance, practicing gratitude, jam sessions, and painting. The day wrapped up with all the schools coming together for a drumming workshop, followed by a colour powder celebration.
“I found it nice to hear things about leadership from a different point of view,” Kalissa S. commented. “My favourite part about this conference was probably meeting people from different schools. It’s just nice to meet different people with different experiences.”
The Grade 11 students joined their peers from across the country to talk about leadership, and share personal experiences and suggestions on how we can be an even better community.
For Mattias P., it was an opportunity to appreciate Shawnigan relative to other schools across Canada.
“Through my conversations, I learned how much Shawnigan offers in comparison to other schools, and how lucky we are to have the staff support that we have,” they said. “This conference showed me that not only is Shawnigan a unique institution, but a very impressive one. It also reinforced the importance of belonging at schools and how well Shawnigan manages to implement that.”
Cayden L. appreciated being able to meet students from different backgrounds, each with so many diverse experiences to share.
“This conference taught me confidence and belief in yourself is a key part of leadership,” he said. “The importance of staying true to yourself tops everything else. This is why we see so much diversity at Shawnigan. We walked into this conference as strangers, but left as a tight knit community. I will be forever grateful for this opportunity and the amazing organisation done by Bishop's College School.”
“The CAIS conference held at Bishop’s College School was a once-in-a-lifetime learning experience that I am extremely grateful for,” Gwenlili J. added. “The conference allowed me to get to know other leaders in other schools in Canada. Each with different values, cultures and priorities. I learned through workshops my strengths and weaknesses as a leader. This experience has taught me to trust my leadership style and to trust my voice.”
Arthur A. called the conference “An absolutely unforgettable experience” from the moment he stepped off the bus until he left.
“Three other Shawnigan student leaders and I had the one of the best experiences to build our leadership skills,” he elaborated. “This experience taught me as well as Cayden, Mattias, and Gwenlili about the importance of togetherness and belonging and how much it means to a school community and a community of leaders.”
We acknowledge with respect the Coast Salish Peoples on whose traditional lands and waterways we live, learn and play. We are grateful for the opportunity to share in this beautiful region, and we aspire to healthy and respectful relationships with those who have lived on and cared for these lands for millennia.
Shawnigan Lake School is an independent co-educational boarding school for ages 13 –18 on Canada’s beautiful West Coast. Our diverse, interdisciplinary and innovative programming helps shape the next generation of global leaders.
